1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed generally to medical compliance monitor devices and medical compliance monitoring methods and, more particularly, directed to an orthodontic compliance monitor and method that provides compliance feedback.
2. Related Art
Medical compliance is a significant issue in the care and treatment of many disorders. Failure of a patient to comply with a health care provider's instructions to wear a medical device in a prescribed way or for a prescribed period of time inhibits the care of the patient. In addition to slow recovery or treatment, non-compliance by the patient leads to increased health-care costs. In some instances, non-compliance can lead to additional complications requiring additional care and treatment.
There have been previous attempts to use compliance monitors outfitted in medical devices with a sensor for detecting when the patient is wearing the medical device. However, none of these attempts have been for orthodontic devices. These non-orthodontic device monitors operate in substantially dry conditions and are not greatly limited by size, or the other conditions typically present in a patient's mouth such as bacteria, saliva, pH, etc.
The determination of compliance in orthodontic devices is important to ensure oral health. Many orthodontic devices, such as braces, need to changed, modified, or replaced roughly based on a period of time a patient uses the orthodontic device. In this regard, the non-compliant usage of the device may be detrimental when the orthodontic device is changed, modified, or replaced during the course of treatment. Heretofore, the use of compliance monitors in orthodontic devices has not been feasible because the use of such devices could not take place in the mouth environment could not be sized to effectively operate, and/or could not effectively determine compliance.
Moreover, many devices are unable to provide feedback to the patient regarding compliance. It would be further advantageous to have a compliance monitor that provides the patient with instant, immediate, or readily available feedback on whether the patient is in compliance with the prescribed treatment. In this way, non-compliance is recognized by the patient much earlier in treatment, providing the patient with the opportunity to correct compliance deficiencies.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus that can determine compliance in the use of orthodontic devices, and that can provide feedback on compliance more readily than heretofore feasible.